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I like most tracks as long as they are steep enough to require the use of brakes...
Photograph: Victor Lucas
What’s it like making a living from riding your bike?
What tracks do you most like racing & why?
For me it’s perfect. I enjoy
these type of tracks, winning is about a
riding my bike and
person’s ability to handle their bike, not who
everything that goes with
can peddle the hardest.
I like most tracks as long as they are steep enough to require the use of brakes. On
it. Sometimes people think
bike every day and get
What have been the biggest challenges of your career to date?
payed for doing it but
Every season presents its own challenges
there’s a lot more to it
but I don't have one that stands out.
you get it easy though and that you just ride your
than meets the eye. jumped yet, it looked massive to me and was
much more to take care of. I would pretty
How was 2009 for you - what were your highs and lows?
way rough for a little BMX. When the gate
much work round the clock from the end of
It definitely had its ups and downs. It started
dropped and the red mist came down I just
one season to the start of the next pulling it
out pretty badly when I dislocated my collar
went for it and I won the race. I had also
all together. In the winter sometimes I'm lucky
bone while training out in Portugal. The injury
gathered enough points from my races too
to get out on the bike at all.
saw me miss the first World round in South
With running my own team there is so
take the over all prize and came home with the new bike.
Who is your inspiration and why?
Africa and really held me back for the
What is your training regime like? Talk me through a typical day…
beginning of the season. Half way through the season I was getting back up there and after some good podium
From September to after Christmas I take a
finishes out in Europe I regained my
Different people have inspired me along the
good long break for training and really
confidence and speed and started getting
way but the one that still stands out most is
knuckle down on sorting all the team stuff.
things together again at the World Cups.
Ex-Motocross World Champion Joel Smets.
From January onwards a typical day could
When my dad was the Husaberg dealer for
be a XC or Road ride in the morning followed
series but there were a few occasions were I
Ireland Joel stayed in our house after the 95
by some work on the team and then in the
felt it could have gone better for me. Taking
GP in Ballykelly. Seeing the dedication he
evening I would go to the gym. I try to mix it
the last round in Schladming for example
had definitely helped me get things into
up as much as I can and throw in some MX
were I was fastest in timed practice and then
perspective.
and even the odd bit of running, depending
qualified 8th, after this I had the podium in
on the weather.
my sights but a crash in my final saw me
When did you turn pro?
I had some good results in the World
throw it away.
was 18 and haven't worked a full time job
Where are you based for the bike season?
means, I finished 34th overall in the World
since, but I would say it’s only been the last
Home is my base but for the season,
series despite having missed the first round
3-4 years that I’ve been full time with the
I’m pretty much on the road from April to the
and I also won the Irish Championships,
mountain biking.
end of September.
which is always nice.
I finished serving my time as a joiner when I
14
My season was not a right-off by any
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